Plaice
The plaice is known for its flavoursome meat, almost creamy texture and characteristic red spots.
The plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) is probably the world's best-known flatfish, due to its flavoursome meat, almost creamy texture and versatility in the kitchen. The plaice is rich in protein and also low in fat, making it a healthy choice for everyday cooking and a great source of vitamins.
Plaice products
Royal Greenland's has numerous plaice products, such as natural plaice, where the fish is whole or only filleted and skinned. Plaice is also available in battered, breaded or lightly dusted versions, or filled with e.g. spinach and cream cheese as ready meals.
Our product range ensures a wide selection for our customers that takes account of their specific needs. One example is the Clean Label, based solely on natural ingredients, a natural appearance and an authentic taste.
Foodservice
See our plaice products herePlaice in the sea
The plaice is a flatfish known for its brown skin and characteristic red spots on the top side. The underside is snowy white with a silky touch. The plaice can adapt to its seabed surroundings by changing the colour of its skin, although the red spots always remain visible as the plaice’s trademark.
The plaice is common all over Europe, in coastal areas from the North Sea to the Mediterranean. Royal Greenland's plaice is caught in the seas around Denmark. The plaice mainly lives in shallow waters near the shore, in sandy bottom conditions, but is also seen at depths of around 50 to 200 metres. The plaice is typically between 25 and 40 centimetres long and weighs about 1 kg. It feeds mainly on polychaetes and small crustaceans.
The plaice spawns from January to June. The male becomes sexually mature at between three and four years of age, while the females mature later, after five to six years. Spawning takes place at 20 to 50 metres’ depth, when the eggs are fertilised and hatch after two to three weeks.
Plaice fishing in Denmark is certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council.
Fishery
The Royal Greenland plaice is mainly caught by Danish fishermen, using seines or trawl. Royal Greenland has decided not to purchase plaice from fisheries using beam trawls, as this method is considered to be damaging to the seabed and entails high fuel consumption. In addition, the seines and ordinary trawls ensure plaice of higher quality that meets Royal Greenland's standards.
Royal Greenland purchases the very highest quality of plaice at Danish auctions for our further processing in Poland.
Processing
The freshly caught plaice is bought at auctions on the west coast of Denmark and transported directly to a processing facility in Poland, which specialises in flatfish such as plaice, flounder, halibut and yellow fin sole.
Processing in Koszalin
Processing in Koszalin
The plaice is filleted before either being frozen as natural fillets or sent to a separate production hall for value-added products. Here, it is breaded, battered, stuffed or lightly dusted before packaging as convenient ready meals for easy everyday solutions.
Route to market
From the factory in Poland, the finished products are distributed to markets across Europe. The plaice is popular in many European countries, but especially consumers in Scandinavia are fond of this tasty flatfish, closely followed by the UK and Germany.
Plaice in the kitchen
The plaice is a truly versatile product as it can be fried, baked, steamed or prepared in other ways. It offers a sweet and mild umami flavour with a firm and juicy texture to the white meat.
Plaice can be served as a steamed, natural fillet or used in value added products such as fish fillets. The versatility makes the plaice a sought after fish around the world.
The mild and sweet taste makes the plaice a great companion for shellfish. The firm texture of the meat also makes it easy to combine the plaice with crisp vegetables and new potatoes for an intriguing mix of textures.
Plaice is a lean fish with a lot to offer in terms of nutrition. It has a high protein content and contains very little fat and no carbohydrates. Plaice is a good source of healthy omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D, and it has a high content of selenium.
